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by Stacey Soble
Prepping the Haircolor Canvas
Celebrity Stylist Dwayne Ross divulges the pre-color treatment that's adding big dollars to his bottom line.
September 9, 2013
4 min to read
As a celebrity stylist and the owner of Verve Lounge in Beverly Hills, CA, Dwayne Ross is accustomed to the well-heeled client who knows what she wants and isn’t afraid to pay for it. As an American Board of Certified Haircolorists’ Master Colorist, Ross realizes the current condition of a client’s hair can have as much impact on the finished result as the color line he uses.
Ross is a believer in using Malibu Makeover as a color prep treatment. The Malibu Makeover is a two-step, in-salon wellness treatment. The first step is the application of a patented blend of antioxidant vitamin crystals that draw malicious mineral deposits, chlorine and other impurities from the hair and scalp. The second step is a powerful reconstructor formulated with plant-derived proteins that seek out hair's weak spots and rebuild where damage exists. Ross recently talked to SALON TODAY about he incorpoates the Malibu Makeover into a color service, how he educates clients for the need for a treatment and how he prices it:
SALON TODAY: How have you seen salons successfully market Malibu Makeover? Should they sell it as a separate pre-color treatment, or incorporate it into a separate signature color service with a higher price on the menu?
Ross: “Here in California, hair color is so important, the very mention of a treatment that will improve the results and life of hair-color sells itself. But I believe all colorists in the salon need to work with the Malibu C Crystal Gel first and experience the results for themselves. Then, selling it to clients is nothing. After I played with the Crystal Gel and educated myself on the Malibu C website, all I needed to do was a quick 5-10 minute Crystal Gel before a color on my client the first time and educate them on the benefits of doing an actual Malibu MakeOver and they usually sign right up. I think salons should develop a signature color service on their menu that includes the Malibu Makeover and create a new one every three months with a seasonal theme. Prices should complement the price rates in your area.”
ST: How do you educate client about the need for a treatment? What kind of results have you witnessed from clients who've had the treatment in conjunction with a color service?
Ross: “First I educated myself. I went on the Malibu C website and read everything about the treatments. Then, I called the company with any questions that I had, such as how to use it before color removers, etc. Next, I played with it on a few clients and I found that most did not need color pulled through the ends (refreshed). Hair colors came out more even and vibrant with better grey coverage. The Miracle Repair treatment gives the hair so much body, it’s just incredible on on fine hair or damaged hair that still needs body. This product makes the quality of a colorist’s work look even better.”
ST: What's the best way to price the treatment?
Ross: “You need to have multiple ways of pricing, at least three and a marketing strategy on how this will HELP your clients hair. 1) A single price for the full Malibu MakeOver Treatment—this should compliment treatment prices in your area. 2) An add-on price for chemical services that the salon has incorporated the Crystal Gel into --add an additional amount 10-15% to existing service price. And, 3), a middle price between the two above for a Malibu MakeOver with a routine color retouch”
ST: How much time do these add to the overall service?
Ross: “If I am adding it to an existing service, the Malibu MakeOver is just an additional 20 minutes--10 minutes for processing Crystal Gel under heat and 10 minutes for Miracle Repair without heat following the color service.”
ST: How much can these add-on services make to a colorists overall profitability?
Ross: That's really up to the colorists. If they take the time to invest in themselves by educating themselves on Malibu C's website instead of just reading the directions on the back of the treatment packet they should be able to increase the profits in services, new client referral and retail. Each by at least 20 percent, but could easily be more.”
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